Press Releases

Details: Press Releases; 18 December 2014

The recent direction by the HRD department to make December 25, as Good governance day in CBSE and other central government run schools is communally motivated. December 25 is celebrated as Christmas across India and the move to keep schools open that day is a clear tactic to create communal divisions. The attempt of HRD Minister Smriti Irani to lie to the public is also highly condemnable. Though she has stated that "only a voluntary online essay competition which did not require students to go to school" is to be organized, the circular issued by her Ministry has directed the schools to "ensure active participation of students" .The circular also requires the schools to provide the Ministry with compliance reports. The Central Committee of SFI condemns the reprehensible tactic of the BJP to use educational institutions to create communal polarization and also demands the apology of the HRD Minister for prevaricating to the people and for parading pure lies as press statements.

Details: Press Releases; 20 November 2014

Students’ Federation of India Central Executive Committee condemns in strongest possible words condemn the decision of Khap Panchayats of Mujafarnagar to prohibit the use of mobile phone, face book and whatsap, by students especially ban on the use of mobile phones by girls. It is important to note that in a self style manner undermining the law and individual rights, Khap panchayat of Shoram village of Mujjafarnagar banned use of facebook, whats apps to the students and use of mobile phone for the girls.

SFI is of the view that nobody is above the constitution and Law of India. These illegal bodies should not be given the freedom to dictate people and government should strongly stop them and should take necessary action against such people.

These type of bodies are finding conducive environment to implement their orthodox and feudal polices when will of state is with them. At a time, when out state lead by our central government is promoting unscientific attitude among people through various means even through text books.

Central executive committee demands action against these self styled contactors of society. We request the student community, all democratic, progressive, scientific and likeminded people to come together to build struggle against these forces.

Released by

Dr. V. Sivadasan Ritabrata Banerjee MP

President General Secretary

Details: Press Releases; 30 August 2014

SFI salutes Professor Bipan Chandra, eminent historian and prolific writer who passed away earlier today. Professor Chandra was a historian of the masses. His writings are a real treasure of secular history. His contributions to the efforts to decommunalise people’s history are invaluable.

Considered a specialist in the economic and political history of modern India, Chandra authored several books including The Rise and Growth of Economic Nationalism, In the Name of Democracy: The JP Movement and the Emergency, Nationalism and Colonialism in Modern India and The Making of Modern India: From Marx to Gandhi. He had founded the journal 'Enquiry' and was a member of its editorial board for a long time. He also served as the Chairman of the National Book Trust.

With Professor Bipan Chandra’s demise, India has lost an outstanding historian, a generous teacher, a passionate researcher and a powerful voice in the struggle for safeguarding democracy and secularism. At the current juncture when the Hindutva right wing is yet again on offensive, his works will be inseparable part of the arsenal of struggle against communalism.

Details: Press Releases; 28 August 2014

Students’ Federation of India Central Executive Committee condemns the order of the Himachal Pradesh University , banning the Students’ union elections. Himachal Pradesh University is one of the strongest bastions of the progressive student movement in the country. For decades on, the student community in HP is raising the star studded white flag of independence, democracy and socialism. Both the ruling parties of the state, Congress and BJP could never accept the democratic assertions of the student community. Last year, the Vice chancellor openly expressed his partisanship for the rightwing by requesting the students to support ABVP. This request which was openly made in a public speech, was outrightly rejected by the student community and SFI won hands down in the ensuing students’ union elections . The activists of the progressive students movement were targeted inside the campus by the Vice chancellor and the university authorities and out side, they were targeted by the police forces and state machinery. Hundreds of cases were registered against the students who were supporting SFI and many of them, including girls were sent to jail.

The student community of India is bravely challenging the commercialization agenda of the ruling class. The whole gamut of suppressive measures unleashed by them could not crush the brave spirit of the activists of the progressive student movement.

In the HP University Students’ Union elections held last year, in many seats, NSUI and ABVP had put up common candidates as part of their desperate attempt to defeat SFI. But SFI emerged victorious with historic winning margins. As their opportunist alliance could not achieve the purpose of defeating SFI, the ruling classes are trying to sabotage the democratic procedure itself by banning the Students’ Union elections all together.

We request the student community and all those who believe in the cause of democracy, to extend their whole hearted support to the Students’ Union of Himachal Pradesh University, at this crucial juncture. We request all SFI units across the country, to observe the 2nd of September 2014 as the ‘Day in Defense of Democratic Rights’.

Released by

Dr. V. Sivadasan Ritabrata Banerjee MP

President General Secretary